“I’ve made more hits with this man than anyone else,” said Usher, acknowledging Dupri on stage. “Congratulations to my friend, JD!” said Mariah, as she wheeled out a cake at the end of the show.

Overwhelmed by the energy of the crowd and the support and well-wishes of his celebrity friends, Dupri was humbled: “Wow…this is crazy,” he said. “We did it! Thank you everyone – the fans, the artists..ain’t nobody f’in with my clique!”

Photography by Thaddaeus McAdams

Click through the gallery to check out pictures from last night’s So So Def Anniversary show